Upholstering-button.



No. 639,667. Patented Dec. l9, I899.

W. CONSOER.

UPHOLSTERING BUTTON.

(Application filed Oct. 30, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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PATENT IVILLIAM OONSOER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN C. BORGWARDT, OF SAME PLACE.

UPHOLSTERING-BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,667, dated December 19, 1899.

Application filed October 30,1899. Serial No. 735,212. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GoNsoER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in UpholsteringButtons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art invention.

to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a novel construction in an upholsterers button, the object being to provide a simple and inexpensive de- Vice of this character which can be readily used, in combination with a retaining-plate, for tufting cushions, &c., and which will greatly facilitate the upholsterers; and it consists in the features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a button constructed in accordance with my Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section through a cushion, showing the retainingplate in position and the button-shank bent over on same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a slightly-modified button.

In tufted cushions the strains upon the retaining devices for producing the tufts are Very irregular and in all directions, so that where a button and retaining-plate are used the same must be relatively so constructed that when the button-shank is once bent over its withdrawal consequent upon such irregular strains will be rendered impossible. The button-shank must also be sufficiently strong to withstand such strains. Buttons used for this purpose are generally provided with flat shanks of a ductile metal which can be readily bent over upon the retaining-plate to em gage the latter, and thus be held against withdrawal. The great difficulty heretofore encountered in devices of this character has been to provide such means for holding the button-shank against withdrawal as would positively make such withdrawal impossible and at the same time to make a button of such simple construction thatthe blank can be readily out and formed ina single operation.

To these and other ends my device consists of a shank A, made of sheet metal and having a head B of suitable construction formed thereon, which is adapted to be covered in any suitable manner, the form of the head and manner of covering same forming no part of my invention. Between its ends and on its side edges I form two outs O at directly opposite points, which extend at a downward incline from said edges toward the middle portion of the shank and terminate at points about midway between the middle and edges of the shank. The part of the shank between said innermost ends of said cuts O is obviously the weakest part of the shank, so that the latter will bend very easily at this point.

In forming the tufts in cushions the shank A is passed through the top and bottom fabrics of the materialand then througha retaining-plate D, comprisinga circular disk annularly dished and provided at its center with a slot E for the passage of said shank, which is forced through the same until the upper ends of the cuts O are below the lower face of the plate D. Said shank is then bent over, so that the portion below said cuts extends about transversely to the part above the same, said portions of said shank between the cuts 0 and the outer edges of the shank forming heels F, which will bend over with and form acontinuous part of the lower end portion of the shank to engage the plate 011 the opposite side of the slot E from that engaged by said end of said shank. Said shank A may be made with parallel side edges converging to a point at their lower ends; but I prefer to make same wider at its middle portion than at its ends, for the reason that by this means the weakened portion between the lower ends of the cuts O remain wider, and consequently very much stronger than whereparallel side edges are employed. This also enables me to use a lighter stock for the button.

By means of the two heels F at opposite sides of the shank the strain upon each is lessened and the shank is rendered less liable to turn relatively to said retaining-plate, thus trans mitting the strains more directly to the latter.

I claim as my invention- 1. An upholsterers button, comprising a head and a flat shank, said shank being provided between its ends at opposite points with cuts extending downwardly at an angle from the side edges to points about midway between the middle portion and side edges of the shank, whereby said shank is made weakest between the terminating-points of said cuts and will there bend when force is applied, the portions of said shank between said cuts and said side edges being adapted to form projecting heels when said shank is bent.

2. An upholsterers button, comprising a head and a flat shank, having bulging side edges to make said shank widest at its middle portion, said shank being provided atits middle portion at opposite points with cuts extending downwardly at an angle from the side edges to points about midway between the middle portion and side edges of the shank, whereby said shank is made weakest between the terminating-points of said cuts and will there bend when force is applied, the portions of said shank between said cuts and said side edges being adapted to form projecting heels when said shank is bent.

The combination with a retaining-plate having a central slot, of abntton comprising a head and a fiat shank adapted to pass through said slot in said retaining-plate, said shank of said button being provided between its ends and at opposite points with cuts extending downwardly at an incline from the side edges to points inwardly of said side edges and outwardly of the middle, whereby said shank is weakened between the terminatingpoints of said cuts and will there bend when force is applied, said shank being adapted to be bent over when inserted through said slot in said plate, whereby the portion below said weakened portion and the heels formed between said cuts and said side edges will engage said plate on opposite sides of said slot.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, VILLIAM OONSOER.

Witnesses:

RUDOLPH WM. Lo'rz, ARTHUR 0. 110m. 

